Center’s Early Exit Leaves Him Plenty of Time for Regrets

LOS ANGELES — This N.C.A.A. tournament could have been DeAndre Jordan’s coming-out party. Instead, Jordan left Texas A&M last year and is winding down a quiet rookie season here with the Clippers.

He is where he wanted to be: Jordan, a gangly 7-foot center, is one of the lucky few who play in the N.B.A. But he now wonders about his decision to leave early and acknowledges that he probably took a financial hit by not sticking around for at least another year of seasoning in college. He is a prime example of a high profile recruit out of the nation’s patchwork amateur basketball system who did not live up to the hype that preceded his arrival in college.

“I can’t go back in time and try to change stuff,” he said recently. “I might want to, but I’m happy with the place I’m at now.”

The 35th selection in the 2008 N.B.A. draft, Jordan received a $550,000 contract for this season and was signed for an additional two years, although neither is guaranteed. In comparison, Brook Lopez — the first true center selected in last year’s draft, at 10th over all by the Nets — makes nearly four times as much under the terms of a guaranteed contract.

Chad Ford, an ESPN.com analyst, said Jordan could have been a top-five selection had he returned and progressed at Texas A&M. Ford said Jordan could have been picked ahead of the Connecticut junior center Hasheem Thabeet, who is expected to declare for this June’s draft.

“It was a really crowded draft last year, and I think there were several, several players who just made a big mistake,” Ford said. “He lost a ton of money unless he blows up the next year and then hits free agency and then gets a huge contract. Probably, he blew it.”

Jordan made his name while playing for an Amateur Athletic Union squad, the Houston Swoosh, coached by Byron Smith. Jordan committed to Texas A&M and Coach Billy Gillispie, but Gillispie left to coach at Kentucky. Jordan honored his commitment after Texas A&M and Gillispie’s replacement, Mark Turgeon, agreed to add Smith to the coaching staff.

Although Smith said Gillispie had also planned to hire him, he said Jordan probably would have backed out of his commitment if Turgeon had not done so.

Jordan showed flashes of eye-popping athleticism at Texas A&M, but he also demonstrated immaturity. He openly displayed his emotions and sometimes covered his face with a towel on the bench. As the 2007-8 season progressed, his playing time dwindled. After Texas A&M’s second-round loss to U.C.L.A. in the N.C.A.A. tournament, teammates openly scolded Jordan when he moped instead of joining a postgame huddle.

In his only college season, Jordan did not compile the statistics associated with a lottery pick: He played 20 minutes a game and averaged 7.9 points and 6 rebounds as a part-time starter.

Photo

DeAndre Jordan left Texas A&M after one year and was drafted in the second round.Credit
Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

“It was just one of those things that I think his decision was made before he even got to college that it was going to be a one-and-done deal,” Turgeon said. “It was a family decision.”

Jordan said the decision to enter the draft was his alone, although Smith said he was not so certain. During the N.B.A. All-Star break, Smith said, Jordan returned to Texas and confided that a day had not passed when he did not revisit the choice.

“I think he really wanted to come back to school, but sometimes, outside influences get involved and make it hard,” Smith said. He added: “And at 18-19, he’s impressionable. And I think he lost confidence a little bit. Once he hit the wall, I don’t think he bounced back. Anytime people talk about the N.B.A. and millions of dollars, people lose focus a little bit.”

Before Jordan officially declared for the draft, he applied for a line of credit based on future earnings, effectively ending his N.C.A.A. career.

At predraft workouts, he battled illness and was outplayed by lesser-known prospects. On draft night, teams with early picks passed on him. Jordan did not work out with many of the teams that picked later in the round because he had thought he would be selected earlier.

Finally, the Clippers took him.

“My mind just went blank,” Jordan said. “I thought I should have went a lot higher than I did.”

Before the season, Jordan parted with the agent Joel Bell, who had also represented the second overall pick, Michael Beasley of Kansas State.

The Clippers (16-50) have not had many bright spots this season, although Jordan has occasionally ranked as one. Injuries forced him into the rotation, and he had 23 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in January. His opponent that night, Andrew Bynum, amassed 42 points and 15 rebounds.

Jordan’s offensive arsenal does not expand much beyond finishing alley-oops, but he often ends those in spectacular fashion.

“For a guy that we drafted saying it was going to be a scholarship year, that he wasn’t going to play basically at all, he’s had some opportunities to get out there and do some things,” Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

Texas A&M is back in the N.C.A.A. tournament this season, with an opening-round game against Brigham Young on Thursday. Still, Jordan and the Aggies can only wonder what may have happened given another year together.

“Everything didn’t work out like I planned for last year,” Jordan said. “But I’m lucky to be here.”

A version of this article appears in print on , on page B15 of the New York edition with the headline: Center’s Early Exit Leaves Him Plenty of Time for Regrets. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe